The Ruins
by nightwalker21492
Summary: What if you discovered a secret? A secret that would change your entire life. A secret that would haunt you for the rest of your life? A secret that could never be told. What if this secret, is who you were meant to be? CHAPTER 14 NOW UP!
1. The Forest

**CHAPTER SUMMERY -** Hermione never went to Hogwarts. She's living in a small town as a normal teenager with normal friends and going to a normal school. But what happens when her friends tell her of a mythical place that is so unbelievably beautiful, yet so frightening that no one ever goes there? Is it true... or is it just a myth? And if it were so real and magnificent, why hadn't anyone ever taken a picture of it? And if it were so frightening and haunted, why hadn't it been torn down?

**Chapter One**

The hills were green. Greener than any of the other hills in London. There was a giant lake, that was blacker than the night sky, even during the day. There were ruins of a castle up on one of the hills, with several tall towers and bridges that connected the other parts of the castle. There were dirt paths leading from the castle down to the lake, and a large cabin with the roof caving in. The paths continued on through a magnificent courtyard which was surrounded in the most beautiful trees and flowers imaginable. Then the paths disappeared under a large stone arch way, down a long straight distance and finally into a small forgotten town, where all the buildings were falling apart and the cobblestone roads where cracked. And yet, with all this destruction, theses were still the most beautiful and unforgettable sights to ever see...if one were to ever find them.

Hermione's friends, Trevor, Jessica, Emily, and Dan had told Hermione that the ruins were haunted, which was a mistake. Once Hermione heard that, she wanted to go up into the ruins to see if it was true. After a few days of asking them to go with her, she said that she would go alone and they gave in. Now the 5 of them were making their way up a dirt road that lead to the hills.

"Hermione, are you sure we should be doing this? I hear this place is really dangerous." Panted Emily as they climbed up a steep hill.

"If it were so dangerous, why hasn't it been torn down yet? And you guys shouldn't have told me about this place if you didn't want to see it. You knew once I heard about it I would want to find it." Hermione called back to Emily.

"Well yea, but we didn't think you would actually do it!" Said Jessica.

"Well then you were wrong!" Laughed Hermione. "Honestly, don't you four know me by now?"

The four of them looked at each other and sighed. Then followed Hermione down the path that lead them through the woods. The leaves were emerald green and the bark of the trunks were a warm chocolate brown. The large boulders were a bright gray and the plants on the ground were just as green as the leaves above them. There were small brooks and streams flowing with the clearest water any of them had ever seen.

Hermione stopped and watched the water with wondering eyes. Her friends stopped beside her and looked at the water also.

"Why did you stop? It's just water." said Dan.

"No, it isn't just water. Look over there, where it comes out from under that log..." Hermione pointed at a log laying over the brook a few feet away.

"What about it?" Asked Dan.

"It's darker." Said Trevor.

"It isn't just darker... its black." Said Hermione with a large smile on her face.

"Okay, so, its dirty water. So what." said Dan.

Hermione turned to face her friends with a large smile. "It's true..."

"What? Hermione we told you, its just a myth. We're out here on a wild goose hunt because you can't separate fact from fiction." Said Jessica.

"God, don't you get it? Think about it...the dirt paths...the emerald green trees, the black water... the ruins are real! All we have to do is follow this path and we'll find them!" Hermione smiled.

"Hermione I'm sure its just a coincidence." Said Trevor.

"No way. This is not just a coincidence." Hermione smiled and took off down the dirt path.

Her friends sighed and chased after her. After a few minutes of running after Hermione, they found her standing on the edge of the forest starring up the hill with wide eyes. They stopped behind her and gasped as they starred at the most beautiful sight they had ever seen. It was more beautiful than the myth said and they couldn't bring themselves to tare their eyes from it.

The Ruins.


	2. The Ruins

**CHAPTER SUMMERY-** The spells and enchantments hiding Hogwarts are not working so well anymore.

**Chapter Two:**

Trevor, Jessica, Emily, and Dan looked at Hermione who was starring at the ruins with wide eyes. She started walking towards the ruins and a smile spread across her face.

The towers were the highest she had ever seen. The stained glass windows had no scratches, the walls had no chucks taken out and the paths that were made of cobblestone were not cracked or broken like said in the myth. The lake was just as beautiful and the large archway was not crumbling down in large chucks of stone. The steps leading into the castle were just as solid as they would have been when the castle was built and the large wooden doors were smooth, with brass handles, hinges and decoration.

Hermione placed her hand flat against one of the tall doors and gasped as images of times past flashed through her mind and a fire like feeling raged through her veins. She pulled her hand away and realized that she felt remarkably calm considering what had just happened. She looked up at the castle that stood tall before her, with glazed over eyes and smiled a bit.

Her friends stopped behind her and looked around. "This place is a dump." said Dan.

"Tell me about it. Come on, then, this place is crap. Let's go." said Jessica.

"What? No...we're not leaving just yet." said Hermione as she looked at them.

"Why not? Everything is falling apart. This place sucks." said Trevor.

Hermione turned from them to face the castle doors, her hair whipping around to hit her in the face. "I want to go in..." She said and placed her hand flat against the door once more, hoping to get the same sensation, but it never came.

She heard her friends sigh and she turned to look at them. "20 minutes. What's the worst that could happen?"

Hermione pulled open the door and looked in.

***

Everyone in the Great Hall had just sat down at their respected tables and started eating when Filch came running in with his cat on his heels. He ran up to the head table and said something to Dumbldore, who stiffened a bit and nodded slightly. Filch ran to the entrance of the Great Hall and reached into a hole inside the wall. He pulled his hand out, pulling a large metal cage like door from the wall. He walked to the opposite side of the entrance and the door slammed against the stone wall. Filch locked it and turned back to face the head table. Dumbldore stood from his seat and cleared his throat.

"Attention...Attention..." No one seemed to listen and went on talking with their friends. He held his wand to his throat and spoke. "QUIET!" His deep voice echoed through out the Great Hall causing the students to jump and look up at him.

"It has come to my attention that 5 muggles have made it onto the grounds of our beloved school..." there was a rush of murmurs. "...it seems that some of our spells and enchantments that are protecting and hiding Hogwarts, are broken and is now vulnerable to many muggle makings. If these muggles make it into the school, I ask you to stay seated and do not speak a word. They will not be able to see us, but they will be able to hear us."

He waved his hand and a large screen appeared on one of the walls. It lit up and showed the outside of the castle. Everyone in the Great Hall watched the 5 muggles walk up the hill to the school and as one of the girls placed her hand on the door. She got a strange look on her face and pulled her hand away. Then she turned to her friends and seemed to have a small argument with them.

Everyone turned their heads towards the Great Hall entrance with they heard one of the large wooden doors open. Light from the outside shined in and shadows walked across the granite floor. Dumbldore lowered his hands to tell his students to stay quiet as Hermione, Trevor, Jessica, Emily, and Dan walked into sight...


	3. Inside The Ruins

**CHAPTER SUMMERY- **Hermione and her friends get inside the 'ruins'.

**Chapter Three**

Hermione and her friends walked in and looked around. There was a large staircase in front of them, tall granite pillars and the colored windows reached the ceiling, which was up at least 70 feet. The stairs and railings were also granite, as were the floors. Hermione smiled and ran her hands over the carved walls. There was a large archway with bars on it to the left.

"Hey, check this out. This entire room is locked up." said Emily.

Hermione, Jessica, Trevor and Dan walked over to the room. Hermione gasped. Inside the room were hundreds of people of all ages, from what looked like 11 to possibly 100 years of age - All were dressed in strange cloaks and hats. Five large wooden tables and floating candles were spread throughout the Hall. There was no roof, just sky. There were mounds of food on every table and a giant sitting at the table in the front. She locked eyes with a group of people dressed in black robes. Each of them had scarlet and gold badges on their breast pocket, and for some strange reason, she felt safe. Four of them had flaming red hair, freckles and were tall, except for the girl. Then she locked eyes with a tall boy with raven black hair and a lightening bolt scar above his eye. She watched them a bit as the twins whispered something to each other then looked back at her. She had the feeling she had seen that group of kids before. She was sure of it.

Hermione looked at her friends with wide eyes. Jessica, Emily, Dan and Trevor looked at Hermione with questioning looks. "You alright, Hermione?" asked Jessica.

"This room is just...so..." Hermione sighed. "...this place is just so amazing."

"Yea, well, we're going to go walk around. Remember, 20 minutes." said Jessica, as she, Trevor and Emily walked up the staircase.

"Dan you gotta look at this!" Hermione grabbed Dan's wrist and pulled him back over to the locked up room.

Dan gasped. "They...they weren't there before!"

Dumbldore stood up behind the table. "This is privet property. It would do you well to leave this place immediately."

Hermione was still watching everyone. She looked up at the candles and the "sky". She looked behind her and around the Entrance Hall. Just then, there was a loud laugh and Dan spun around to see what Hermione was starring at. A fat little ghost with a big smirk came flying by them and into the Great Hall. He spun around to face them and squealed with joy.

"MUGGLES! Wee little muggles right here in Hogwarts!"

Suddenly Dumbldore raised his wand and aimed it at Peeves, sending him through the bars. He sent an evil glare towards him and stuck his tongue out, then flew away, singing about muggles being inside Hogwarts.

Dan pulled away from Hermione and started backing away from her. He starred at her with wide eyes. "What the fuck was that? Who the fuck are th..." Dan stopped talking mid-sentence as he went to point at the people in the Great Hall. They were gone.

"Where'd they go?" he asked with panic in his voice. "There's no way that many people could get out that bloody fast! Where the fuck did they go!?" Dan asked as he started turning on the spot trying to see where that many people could go in that little time.

Hermione was still starring past the bars. Everyone in the Great Hall was doing the same thing to her. _Could she still see them? _They wondered. Hermione's eyes brightened as she smiled slightly before starting to laugh and leaned against the bars.

Dan starred at her wide-eyed. "What the bloody hell are you laughing at?"

"Don't you get it?" Hermione laughed. "All of this..." Hermione spread her arms out. "It's magic. It's all bloody magic!"

Everyone in the Great Hall watched Hermione laugh, both in amusment that she found magic so amazing and fear that she might tell more muggles about the school.

"You're insane! We're leaving right now!" he said and grabbed her arm and pulled her out of the castle.

All five tables turned to watch the giant screen and watch as Dan dragged Hermione away from the castle. They were joined shortly by Jessica, Emily and Trevor.

"I can't believe it..." Dan said.

"Neither can I, but it's real. Magic is real!" smiled Hermione.

"What's going on?" asked Jessica.

"Magic is real, Jess! It's real!" Said Hermione as she starred at the castle.

"What are you talking about?" asked Trevor.

"We looked into the locked Hall and there were hundreds of people in there. Then when I looked away they were gone!" said Dan.

"What are you talking about? They weren't gone. They were still there when we left." said Hermione.

"No they weren't. Believe me, I looked in before we left, the hall was empty."

"What ever, I know what I saw, and I saw hundreds of people in there." said Hermione as she watched the ripples of water in the lake.

"We looked in there too, Hermione. We didn't see anyone." said Emily.

"I don't know what to tell you then. But it was so beautiful in there." Hermione replied, not taking her eyes off the lake.

After a few moments, Dan spoke again. "That room was empty until you touched my arm..."

Hermione turned to face him. "What?"

"The Hall. I looked in before and it was empty. Then you touched my arm and there were hundreds of people in there."

"That's weird."

"No shit."

Hermione searched Dan's eyes with her's. "What are you trying to say Dan?" she asked as she walked towards him.

"Nothing. Just saying that they didn't appear until you touched me. Which meant you could see them before us. Which means something is wrong with you."

"What?" Hermione laughed. "Do you realize how rediculous that is?"

"It's not that rediculous, Hermione..." said Jessica.

"Yea, I mean, you don't seem too shocked that magic is real. And now we find out that you saw those people before we did and we could only see them if you touched us." said Trevor.

"There something you're not telling us, Hermione?" asked Dan.

Hermione looked at her friends. "You're joking." she said.

"Not in the least bit. So tell us. Are you a witch?" asked Dan.

"What? You're insane." said Hermione as she started to walk towards the path they came in on.

Dan grabbed her arm and pulled her back. He looked around with wide eyes. The paths that were cracked were now solid. The castle that was collapsed was now standing tall atop the hill. The large cabin with the caved in roof was now patched up and the fence that had fallen surrounded the cabin in perfect order. He shoved Hermione away from him and starred at her.

"What the fuck just happened?" he asked.

"What do you mean?" said Hermione.

"Everything changed when I touched you."

"Nothing changed."

"Everything changed! You are a bloody witch!" said Dan.

"I'm not a witch!"

Dan watched her with hateful eyes and sneered. "Yes you are! And once I tell everyone about you and this place and those...freaks, you'll all be locked up or even better...killed."


	4. Fighting

**SUMMERY- **Hermione and her friends fight for their lives.

**Chapter Four**

"You're bloody insane." Said a disbelieving Hermione.

"It makes since, Hermione. Ever since we've known you, whenever we're around you, strange things tend to happen..." said Trevor.

"Well if it is true, why am I going to our High School. If I were a witch, wouldn't I be going here?" Hermione replied.

"Maybe you're parents don't want a freak in the family. Hell, if you don't learn it, then it's not true." said Dan.

"Again, you guys are bloody insane. My parents aren't like that." Hermione said and started down the dirt path into town. "And just because magic is real, doesn't mean people who can do it are freaks!"

"That's exactly what it means, Hermione! All those people in there are freaks! And when we get back into town, I'm telling everyone about this place!" said Dan.

Hermione spun around with fire in her eyes. She stormed up to Dan and shoved him backwards with as much force as she could muster up. "Don't you bloody dare tell anyone about this place! There's obviously a reason they hide and the reason is people like you, you stupid prat!"

"The world needs to know about people like that, Hermione! And even if you aren't one, which we're all 100% sure that you ARE, you'll be locked up or killed with them just for trying to stop us!" yelled Dan.

"It's people like you that caused the Salem Witch Trials in America! You want that to happen again? Hundreds of innocent people dying because they were different!? Well let me tell you something - If that's what's going to happen, then I'm gonna stand with them to make sure it doesn't!"

Hermione now had Dan backed against a tree and her hands fisted at her sides, her eyes burning with fire as if they were from Hell itself. "And if that gets me killed then so be it, but I will NOT simply stand by and let you get those people killed just because they can do magic!"

Hermione spun around after she didn't get a reply from Dan or the others, and marched down the path. Her friends followed her a few moments later, their footsteps following behind angrily. She could hear them talking and then the footsteps stopped. Followed by a loud crashing through the woods around them. Hermione spun around at the sound of screams and yells of pain and watched with wide eyes as an 8 foot tall figure, cloaked in black picked up Emily by the collar and throw her to the ground. She screamed in pain as she landed on her shoulder and a loud crunching was heard.

The figure screamed and Hermione covered her ears and squeezed her eyes shut in pain. She fell to her knees and looked up, her hands still covering her ears as the sound of the figure's voice echoed through the forest. The figure back handed Trevor in the chest and sent him flying against a tree. He landed on the ground and struggled to get to his feet but was slammed against said tree once more. Dan jumped on the figure's back, wrapping his arms around the figure's neck and pulling back. The figure swung his arms around to try and reach Dan, but ended up hitting Jessica in the jaw.

Hermione stumbled to her feet and looked around for something to attack the figure with. Seeing a broken oak branch, she picked it up and swung it at the figure's back, just as the figure grabbed Dan by the neck. The figure yelled in pain and dropped Dan on the ground. He spun around to face Hermione and let out another deafening scream. Dan, Jessica, Emily, and Trevor covered their ears as the sound reached them. Hermione dodged the figure as he ran towards her.

"Get back to the castle and lock yourself in!" Hermione yelled over her shoulder as she now stood between the figure and her 'friends'.

Trevor and Dan helped Jessica and Emily up and started running back towards the castle. Hermione jumped as the figure took a swing at her legs and swung the branch as hard as she could, hitting the figure on the side of the head. Then she retraced the swing, hitting the figure in the jaw, sending him stumbling backwards. Breathing hard, she took off towards the castle.

She ran through the forest, jumping over fallen trees and through small streams of black water. She kept her eyes straight ahead of her, listening to the figure chasing after her. Seeing the emerald green grass of the castle grounds, she pushed herself harder and ran out of the forest, almost slipping on fallen leaves.

***

Dumbldore and the rest of the teachers rushed from the head table and down the isle of students. He waved his wand and the bars that locked the Great Hall vanished, and he and the staff ran out into the Entrance Hall. Pulling open the doors, they ran down the steps and down the hills of the school grounds.

They were half way down when Dan, Trevor, Jessica and Emily ran past them into the castle. They of course, did not see Dumbldore or the rest of the teachers. They ran up the steps, through the open door and slammed it shut.

Hermione steadied herself and started running up the hills. Suddenly she felt multiple stabbing pains across her back. She fell forward, the oak branch falling to the ground a few feet away. Hermione spun around and screamed out in pain as the figure slashed her torso with it's sharp claws. Then it cut her face with it's other hand. Kicking the figure away from her, she ran, stumbling to the branch. The figure screamed and she felt him pull his claws across her back once more, ripping at her skin. Hermione screamed out in pain.

Then everything went black...


	5. Waking Up

**CHAPTER SUMMER-** "...Your destiny lies within these walls, Miss. Granger. You weren't born to be normal."

**Chapter Five**

"Think she's goin' to be alright?"

"I hope so, she's pretty cute..."

"George! Fred! Will you shut up! This is not the time to talk about her like that. Besides...you have girlfriends."

"Fred does, not me."

"Well either way, this is NOT the time..."

"Not that I don't appreciate the complements, I'm gonna have to agree with the girl..." Hermione struggled to sit up and opened her eyes, squinting from the bright sunlight shining in through the large windows.

She looked around and saw two smiling twins, a girl about a year younger than she, another boy with flaming red hair and freckles, and a boy with raven black hair and a scare above his eye. Smiling slightly, she realized that they were the group of kids she locked eyes on when she first entered the castle with her friends. _Shit._ She thought. Hermione threw the covers off abruptly and swung her legs over the side of the bed.

"What are you doin'?" asked the girl with red hair. _They all had to be related. _Hermione thought.

"I need to find my friends..." Hermione stood, but collapsed to her knees and used the night stand beside the bed to pull herself up.

The boy with raven black hair and younger boy with red hair grabbed her arms, and wrapped their arms around her. They pulled her up and sat her back on the bed. Then the raven haired boy picked up a spilled vase that had fallen with Hermione tried to pull herself up.

"They're fine. Dumbldore sent them back into town after Madam Pomfree healed them up." said the younger red haired boy.

"What? No!" Hermione got to her feet again, but made it a few feet before she collapsed beside another bed.

The twins looked over at each other, then back at Hermione. One of them walked over to her and scooped her up in his arms. He carried her back to her bed and laid her down. "You can't keep doin' that, love." he said.

"No! You don't understand!" Hermione got to her feet and ran, stumbling, to the door. "They're going to tell everyone!"

She pulled open the door and turned to leave but stopped when a tall man with long silver hair and beard stood in her way. He had half moon glasses and kind eyes. A crooked nose and wore silver-blue robes. He had his hands linked together in front of him and he smiled kindly down at her.

"Their memories of the past few hours have been erased. They are currently walking into their houses at this very moment." he said. "It would be smart of you to get back into bed before you collapse again."

Hermione nodded slightly and walked back to her bed. "What happened?"

"Depends on what you want to know about. Lots of things have happened these past few hours." said the old man which she assumed was Dumbldore.

"Why was I the only one to see this place and every one in it? Am I a witch?" Hermione asked.

The twins and the girl looked at each other nervously, the younger red haired boy found the floor very interesting and the raven haired boy rubbed the back of his neck.

Dumbldore sighed. "If you will excuse us, I believe and I must talk." he said and the group of kids nodded and left the room.

Hermione watched them leave, each of them giving her a small smile. One of the twins, she wasn't sure which was which, smiled a bit more than the others and winked, then followed his brother out of the room.

"So...am I a witch?"

"Yes. We sent you a letter and your parents replied saying that you were not to attend. But, we have been following your movements, Miss. Granger. And it seems, that you have what we call, a 'hero's streak.' "

"A what?"

"A hero's streak. You have a tendency to help others, to save them from something, even if it includes breaking rules." Dumbldore smiled and looked over his half moon glasses at her.

Hermione smiled a bit. "Yea, well, these type of things always seem to find me."

"So it seems."

"Alright, so, I'm a witch with a hero's streak. What does that mean?"

"It means, that if you decide to come to Hogwarts, you will almost defiantly be sorted into Gryffindor. Of course, you are very bright, so you would also have a choice of Ravenclaw..."

"Wait, what? I could...I could come here?" Hermione asked.

"If you wanted to."

Hermione stood up on shaking legs and looked out the window. Remembering what happened with the figure, she looked down. Lifting her shirt enough to see her stomach, she saw four large scars.

"It seems that Madam Pomfree wasn't able to heal you completely. She can grow bones back but she can't heal without scars." Dumbldore chuckled.

"My parent's will never let me come here." Hermione said as she walked out of the room.

"I'm sure I could persuade them..." Dumbldore followed her.

"I...I need to go home. I don't want them thinking that something happened."

"Would you like one of the teachers to walk back with you?"

"No, I can take care of myself." Hermione said as she and Dumbldore walked down the grounds to the dirt path.

"I have seen that, but there are things in these woods that you will not be able to defend yourself against as long as you did this morning."

Hermione stopped at the edge of the forest and turned around. "What was that thing by the way?"

"I have been at this school for over 80 years. The creatures in this world never cyst to amazing me."

"That doesn't really help."

Dumbldore chuckled. "I don't know what that creature was, but there are many things that I have never seen before. I am still young after all." he smiled.

Hermione smiled and laughed a bit. "Yea, well, I'll be fine. Thanks for, everything." Hermione said and started walking down the path.

"It's who you were meant to be, Miss. Granger."

Hermione stopped walking. "What?"

"We all have different destinies written for us. They're written in the stars, in our palms, and how we react to certain things. Your destiny lies within these walls, Miss. Granger. You weren't born to be normal."

Hermione couldn't help but smile a bit and believe that he was right. "I'll think about it."


	6. “Am I a witch?”

**CHAPTER SUMMERY - **Hermione can't help but think about Hogwarts and has a talk with her parents. ***_**bold and italics is Hermione talking to herself.*** **_

**Chapter Six**

Hermione sat in the study hall when Dan, Trevor, Emily and Jessica walked in. She sat with her feet up on the table and rocked herself back and forth on the back legs of her chair. Twirling her pencil, she starred out into space thinking about the only thing she was able to think about since the weekend.

Her thoughts ran from the moment she saw the black water to the moment she walked away from Dumbldore. _"Your destiny lies within these walls, Miss. Granger. You weren't born to be normal."_What did he mean by that anyway? Wasn't being a witch or wizard normal to them? What made her so different? Her mind traveled to the tall red head from the castle.

Smiling, she chewed on her lip. If she went to Hogwarts, she would hardly get to see her friends here. _**You can always make new friends**_**.** Her head she went to Hogwarts, she would be so far behind. _**That's what books are for, silly.**_Hermione sighed. She would be away from her family all year. _**You can always write to them.**_ Hermione sighed again. _**It's the most beautiful place you've ever been! How amazing would it be to live there? To walk the roads and see things that normal people couldn't even dream of? You can't pass this up! **_

"Hey, what's up?" asked Trevor as he jumped up on the table and swung his legs over the side of the table.

"Just thinking." Hermione replied, not looking at any of them.

"Well stop, school is done, lets go." said Trevor.

Hermione faked a smile sat up right. Closing her books she stuffed them into her bag, her eyes never looking down from her starring point.

"Hey, I got an idea! It's a half day, so why don't we go up to the ruins? See if we can find it." said Dan.

"What are the ruins?" asked Emily.

"We're not going." Hermione said and stood up.

"Excuse me?"

"We're not going. So don't even think about it." Hermione hung her bag over her shoulder and walked out of the room.

"And why not?" asked Jessica as she and the other three caught up with Hermione.

"Well, for one, I have dance today. And two, it's way to dangerous."

"Hermione Granger afraid of a little danger? What has happened to the master rule breaker we know and love?" teased Emily.

"She grew up." Hermione walked out of the school, leaving her friends standing in the hall way.

***

Hermione sat at the dinner table pushing the food on her plate around with her fork. Her parents exchanged nervous glaces and continued eating. They ate in awkward silence for about 10 minutes until her father finished and started reading the paper. 5 minutes later, Hermione was stilled pushing her food around and her mother stood up. Taking her plate and her father's plate, she walked over to the sink and started washing them.

"Am I a witch?"

There was a sound of dishes colliding and her father tightened his grip on the paper. The corner of it folded down and he looked at her through his reading glasses. Her mother stiffened and started washing the dishes.

"Why would you asked that, dear?" her mother asked, as she scrubbed the same area of the dish repeatedly.

"Just some weird stuff has been happening." Hermione said as she continued to stare at her plate and push the food around.

Her mother gave an uneasy and forced chuckle. "There's no such thing as magic, Hermione..."

"Your mother is right. You need to stop reading those fantasy books."

"I don't read fantasy books."

"Well then you need to stop watching silly movies." said her father as he went back to 'reading' the paper.

Hermione sighed and played with her food some more. "Are you sure? Because you can tell me."

"Hermione, darling, that's silly. There's not such thing as witches or magic." said her mother as she rinsed the soap off the same plate for a third time.

Hermione could feel herself becoming more bold. "You don't have to lie. I won't freak out or anything."

"Finish eating."

"Mum, I want to talk about this..."

"Finished eating." her mother repeated.

"Mum..."

"Fine! You're done!"

Her mother spun around and grabbed the plate from the table in front of Hermione and dropped it into the soapy water in the sink. She rested her hands on the counter, lowered her head and closed her eyes. Hermione's father kept reading the newspaper. Hermione slouched back in her chair and starred at the table in front of her. After a few moments of silence, she spoke.

"I know about Hogwarts..."


	7. Lies and Controlling Parents

**CHAPTER SUMMERY - **Hermione tells her parents she wants to go to Hogwarts and gets her first owl.

**Chapter Seven**

"What?" her mother breathed.

"I know about Hogwarts..." Hermione took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "...and I want to go."

"You are not going to that...school." said her father as he threw down his paper.

"Why not?"

"Because we said no."

"I'm going to Hogwarts..."

"I said no!" yelled her father.

Hermione and her father were now both standing up, both with their hands flat against the table top. Nose to nose, they continued arguing.

"It's my life! You never should have lied to me about this!"

"We didn't lie to you! We sheltered you from that...life style." said her mother, jumping into the argument.

"Sheltered me? _Sheltered me?_ You gotta be fucking joking! You bloody lied to me about everything! About the school, about the letters that the Headmaster sent... about who I really am and about who I was meant to be!"

"We were protecting you, Hermione!"

"From what? A good life?"

"We give you a damn good life!"

"Oh yeah, coming home every day to fighting. And when you're not here arguing with each other, you're at dental conferences. What an amazing life I lead!" Hermione yelled sarcastically.

"I don't bloody care how horrid you think your life is, you're not going!"

"Yes I am! And when I graduate, I'm staying in the wizarding world... in MY world!"

"You are forbidden to even THINK bullshit like that!" yelled her father.

"So now you're going to tell me what to think? Hell, you've controlled my life for the past 15 years, why not control my thoughts too!?" she said, sarcasm soaking her words. "Well you can stay the hell out of my life! I'm going to Hogwarts and there's nothing you can do to stop me!"

Hermione didn't even know what happened. One moment she was arguing with her father, the next her eyes were watering as pain raced up and down the side of her face. Pissed off, Hermione shoved her father against a wall and gripped his neck.

"Don't. _EVER_. Touch. Me." Hermione said in a dangerously low voice.

She let go of his neck, but not without pushing his head against the wall a bit, and ran up the stairs, taking them two at a time. Slamming her bedroom door shut, she paced back and forth, anger, frustration and confusion coursing through her veins. What the hell did she just do? _**You pretty much attacked your father, you stupid prat. **_The sod hit me first, it was self defense. She told herself. _**That's not how he's going to see it. You don't get out of here, you're fucked.**_

Hermione grabbed her book bag and tipped it over, emptying it's contents out onto her bed. Grabbing handfuls of clothes from her closet, she shoved them into the bag and walked over to her desk. She pulled open the top drawer and popped open the bottom, revealing a secret hiding place. Reaching in, she pulled out a thick envelope which held every dollar she had gotten from relatives and friends for her birthdays and holidays for the past three years. Sticking that into the bag she ran a hand through her hair and looked around for anything she missed.

_Tap. Tap. Tap._

Hermione looked around. She could have sworn she heard a tapping. Shrugging she went back to looking through her things.

_Tap. Tap. Tap._

Hermione stopped and looked around again.

_Tap. Tap. Tap._

Furrowing her brow, she looked over at her window. The tapping started up again. Hermione walked over to her window and pulled open the curtain. Hermione gasped and covered her mouth with her hand. Sitting on her window sill was a brown tawny owl with a paper tied to it's leg. She ran over and locked her door, then back to her window and opened it. The owl hopped in and landed on her bed.

Hermione smiled and walked over to the owl. She knew it wouldn't hurt her. She didn't know how, she just knew. Bending down, she untied the paper and unfolded it.

*******

**Hello Hermione.**

*****  
**

Hermione tilted her head to one side as she read the letter. Curiosity got the best of her and she grabbed a pen. Writing her reply and folding the message back up, she tied it to the owl's leg and told him to bring it back to the person who sent it. The owl nodded and squawked, then flew out of her window and towards the forest. She watched him soar and disappear into the distance. Smiling, she realized that he was flying towards Hogwarts.


	8. Accepted

**CHAPTER SUMMERY- **Hermione goes to Hogwarts.

**Chapter Eight**

Hermione pulled her hair up into a tight pony tail and pulled on her jacket. Shouldering her bag, she opened her bedroom door and started down the steps, towards the front door. Reaching the bottom landing, she pulled open the door and was about to step out onto the porch when a voice sounded.

"Where the bloody hell do you think you're going?"

Hermione turned to see her father and mother standing there with their arms crossed. Standing tall and holding her head up high, she looked them straight in the eyes.

"Hogwarts. I told you I was going, and I am."

"Why?" asked her mother in such a whisper Hermione had to strain to hear it.

"It's who I am. Who I was born to be..."

"You were born to be Hermione Granger..."

"Exactly. Which means you never should have lied to me about who I really am."

"Hermione, dear, please, you were born to be who you are right now. Not some...witch." pleaded her mother.

"I'm not normal, mum. I wasn't born to be normal. Haven't you realized that yet?"

"You are normal..."

"No, mum, I'm not!" Hermione interrupted. "I'm not normal and you know it! Ever since I can remember, strange things have always happened around me!"

"They were just coincidences." said her mother.

"What about the dreams? Surely you can't say those were just coincidences."

"I'm sure there's a reasonable explanation for everything."

"Yea, and it's name is magic! I'm a witch and there's no way around it! After all the things that have happened, it's a wonder I didn't figure it out earlier!"

"You're not going, Hermione. Now get back to your room." said her father. "We'll talk about how you acted later."

"No, I will not go to my room. I'm going to Hogwarts. After everything - After the dreams, after predicting uncle Benny's death...after seeing the accident as it happened...how can I not go? There have been signs telling me...trying to show me who I really am for years and I ignored them. Well not anymore. I'm going to Hogwarts, I'm going to learn magic and I'm going to be who I was born to be...whether you like it or not."

Hermione stood tall, her shoulders square and her head held high. She was proud of herself. She had told her parents what she was going to do...who she was going to be without swearing or yelling once. She had told them that it was her life now, and they were not going to control her anymore.

When her parents didn't say anything, she turned and started to leave. "You leave this house don't even think about coming back."

Hermione turned to face her parents. Her father was starring at her mother in disbelief. With all the fights...with all the arguing and with all the frustration that Hermione and he went through with each other, even he did not kick her out. No matter how many times they fought, he could never bring himself to do it. Her mother, however, the women who let the arguments continue, the woman who Hermione talked to about everything, the woman Hermione thought would always be on her side, had told her not to return if she left.

Taking a deep breath, and starring her mother in the eyes, she gripped the strap of her bag and turned. Stepping out of the house and into the cool night, she didn't look back as she descended the steps and walked down the walkway. Hermione kept her head up as she walked down the sidewalk towards the forest on the edge of town. In the distance she heard the quiet click of the front door of what was once her home and she bit the inside of her lip to stop herself from crying. She pulled her coat tighter around her as the cool breeze blew, blowing her hair around her face and sending warming chills through her body.

***

Hermione stepped onto the damp green, the night surrounding her in a blanket of darkness. She smiled, a warmth of safety flowing over her as the light of the castle roamed the dark grounds below. Securing her bag on her shoulder, she started up the hills towards Hogwarts.

After a few minutes of listening to the odd, yet soothing sounds of the strange creatures lurking in the shadows, and the water sloshing in the lake by some unseen being, Hermione stood at the bottom of the stone steps. The light shined through the stained glass windows, painting calming colors of blue, red, purple, green and gold upon the grounds around her. Climbing the stone companionway, she pulled open the large wooden door and stepped inside. Walking a few feet, she stepped into view and looked into the Great Hall, where there sat the hundreds of people from before. They were all laughing and talking with their friends. The floating candles laying a comforting glow upon every smiling face.

Dumbldore looked up and smiled. Leaning over, he whispered something to an old woman with gray hair pulled up into a tight bun. They both looked up at Hermione, excused themselves from the table and walked into a back room. A few moments later, a door just past the entryway of the Great Hall opened and Dumbldore and the old woman stepped out into the Entrance Hall. Hermione smiled and walked over to them.

"Good evening, Miss. Granger, may I ask why you are here?" smiled Dumbldore.

"I'm sure you already know..." Hermione said.

Dumbldore smiled, chuckled and clapped his hands together. "Wonderful! Wonderful! This is Professor McGonagall. She is the head of the Gryffindor House. If you follow her, she will have you sorted into your house."

Hermione smiled and started to follow Professor McGonagall up the large staircase of granite. She stopped and turned to face Dumbldore.

"Thank you, Professor." she smiled and followed McGonagall up the steps.

***

Hermione walked into the Gryffindor common room and sighed peacefully. There was a fire burning bright, giving the gold and scarlet a beautiful intensity that could only be appreciated by someone who had never seen anything as radiant and delicate as what stood before her. A large bay window gave a view of the entire school grounds, including the night sky that held millions of stars, giving the emerald grass below an elegant brilliance. There were many plush chairs and a large couch, which sat directly in front of the fireplace. A wooden coffee table sat in front of that, which was scattered with parchments and random goods, such of which she found just as fascinating as the rest of the room. There were un-melting candles sitting atop the mantel, which was a solid red oak.

Smiling, she sat down on the couch and opened a book that McGonagall had given her and tried to take in as much of it as she could so she would be ready for class the following Monday.

**~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**

**Thank you so much to everyone who has read and reviewed so far. Everytime i get a review i feel the need to continue on with the story. ^_^ So if you want more chapters leave a review! ^_^ I'm glad that everyone who left reviews are enjoying it so far and I hope you enjoyed this chapter as well. I personally think that this is my best chapter so far. I defiantly got into more detail at the end and I hope you liked that. I'm gonna try to do that more often. I promise i will update soon, so dont forget to leave a review and keep checking back for updates! ^_^ Thanks for reading!  
**


	9. Gryffindor

**CHAPTER SUMMERY - **Hermione meets her fellow Gryffindors and gets caught up on You-Know-Who.

**Chapter Nine**

Hermione sat on the plush couch made of deep red and gold cloth for about an hour going through all her new school books. Tomorrow she would be going to Diagon Alley with the Grounds Keeper, Hagrid. After reading through both her Charms and Potions books, she set them down on the couch next to her and started on her next book. A few minutes later, there was a rush of voices and Hermione looked up as groups of people walked in.

None of them really noticed her and walked by without a second glance. The ones who did notice her nodded and said hello and welcome, but then went on to talk to their friends. Taking a deep breath she turned back to her book and started reading again, when a group of red heads and a boy with black hair sat around her. They starred at her until she smiled a bit and looked up.

"So you decided to come here, did you?" said the younger boy with red hair.

"No, she just broke in, stole a shit load of school books and decided to stay to read them." said the girl.

"Oh shut up, Ginny." he said and rolled his eyes and turned to set up a chess board with many broken and damaged pieces.

"I'm Ginny. That's Ron and Harry, and they're Fred and George." Ginny said as she pointed them out.

"I'm Hermione." she smiled.

"Oh, we know. Did you like your first owl?" asked one of the twins. _**Was that Fred or George? **_She thought to herself.

"Um, yea, it was pretty cool. I didn't know that you could use owls to carry messages."

"Well, there's a lot you don't know about the wizarding world." said the other twin as they wore identical smirks.

"I realize that." Hermione said, letting out a breath she didn't know she was holding.

"Don't worry. Harry didn't know anything about the wizarding world when he came here and now he knows more than us, and we've lived here our entire lives." said Ron.

"You have normal parents too?" Hermione asked.

"Not...not exactly." Harry said as he looked from her back to the chess set. "Knight to E5."

"Harry's parents weren't muggles, but they were killed. He lives with his aunt and uncle now." Ginny whispered.

"Oh my god. Harry I'm so sorry. I didn't know..." Hermione apologized.

"It's fine. How could you know...you just got here." Harry licked his lips and stood up. "I'm gonna go get a butterbeer. Anyone else want one?"

Fred and George raised their hands and watched as Harry turned and left the common room. Hermione put her face in her hands.

"God, I feel horrible now! I never should have said anything!"

"It's fine Hermione. He's just a bit sensitive about it these days because of You-Know-Who." said Ron.

"Who?"

The red heads looked at each other then back at Hermione. Ginny sighed. "Hermione, you've had dreams, yeah?"

"Yeah."

"Were there any about us? And us or anyone else fighting someone who looks like a snake?"

"Yea. Last time was about a year ago. Harry and some other kid were in a graveyard, then some little fat guy who looked like a rat came out of no where and killed the other kid."

"Then what happened?" asked Fred with sad eyes as he remembered his fallen friend.

"Um...Harry was on the ground clutching his head and then the little rat guy cut his hand own hand off and put it in a cauldron. Then, I dont know, it was weird, the cauldron exploded and that snake guy came out of it. Then Harry and that guy fought."

"Well that really happened, Hermione. And that snake guy, is the one who killed Harry's parents. Once You-Know-Who chose to kill you, there was no way around it. He tried to kill Harry when he was a baby, but it didn't work. It back fired and You-Know-Who was hurt. That's why Harry is famous. He's the boy who lived." said Ginny.

"Wow. So, he's back? Why?"

"He's back to take over the wizarding world, Hermione. And to do that, he's gotta kill the only person standing in his way."

"Which is Harry?"

"Yeah. But what You-Know-Who doesn't know, is that Harry has the entire wizarding world on his side. He's got this entire school, save for the Slytherins on his side. That's a big help when going against someone like this." Ron said.

"So any help Harry can get is one step closer to defeating You-Know-Who." said Fred.

"There's a war coming, isn't there?" Hermione asked.

"A big one." said Ginny.

"Which is why you got that weird sensation when you first touched the castle doors. Dumbldore made it so that if any muggles made it onto the grounds and touched the door, then if they were a witch or wizard, they would know that the second they touched the door." said George.

"That's what those visions where?"

"Yep. Plus you weren't born to be normal, Hermione. That's why Dumbldore tried so hard to get to you come to Hogwarts." said Ginny.

"That's the second time someone has said that I wasn't born to be normal. What exactly does that mean? Isn't normal to you guys someone being a witch or wizard?"

"Yea."

"Then why am I so different?"

"Butterbeers are here!" said Harry as he sipped on his and set the rest of them down.

"Bout time, Potter." said the twins as they each grabbed a mug. "Well, talk you later, Herms." they said and walked away.

Ginny grabbed a mug and said her good byes to Hermione. Then Ron and Harry went back to play chess. Hermione looked at where the red heads had vanished to then back to the chess game. Confused, she thought to herself. _**What just happened?**_

_**~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**_

**I'm not sure that I'm going to get into the war. Basically because I don't want to write about hundreds of people dying. ^_^ So I'm just going to start with the whole romance part of the story. Thanks for reading and sorry to those who wanted to see some writing of the war.  
**


	10. The Difference

**CHAPTER SUMMERY - **Hermione is told why she's so different.

**Chapter Ten**

A few hours after she went to bed, Hermione continued to toss and turn. She couldn't get comfortable and the warm breeze flowing in through her window didn't help. The wool covers piled on top of her just made things worse. Tossing the covers off her in frustration, she grunted, stood up and slipped on her black slippers. Opening the solid oak door to the room she shared with Ginny and another girl named Lavender, she stepped out onto the top landing and walked down the spiral staircase.

The common room was empty and the fire was still burning. She walked over to the social desk and grabbed some parchment and a quill. She sat down on the couch in front of the fire and started writing. She would write, re-read, crumple up and re-write a letter to her friends. A half hour later, she had finally finished with a letter she liked.

"And what are you doing up, young lady?" came a voice from behind her.

Hermione looked over her shoulder and smiled. One of the twins was standing on the stair way, resting his forearms on the railing. He was wearing nothing but his red plaid pajama bottoms. Her eyes roamed his tan muscles and she chewed on her lip, until she met his eyes. He smirked and lifted an eye brow.

"Like what you see?"

"I um...I couldn't sleep. Too warm up there." she said, ignoring his second question as she blushed.

"And sitting in front of a fire isn't too warm?" he teased as he walked down the steps towards her.

Hermione blushed again as he sat down next to her and watched the fire. He sighed and looked over at her. She was wearing black shorts that reached mid-thigh, with two black stripes down the sides. A deep red tank top that hugged her every curve and her hair was pulled up into a tight pony tail. He followed her tan legs down to her small feet which were covered by fluffy black slippers.

"Why you up?" she asked him, snapping him out of his thoughts.

"Oh, well, I couldn't sleep either."

"Couldn't come up with your own excuse?" Hermione smiled.

The twin laughed and rested his arm on the back of the couch. He leaned his head back and watched her re-read what ever was written on her parchment. "I use all my good excuses for when Fred and I get caught."

"Doing what?"

"You'll know in time." George laughed.

"Do I need to look around ever corner or shouldn't I worry?"

George chuckled. "Don't worry. I'm sure you'll hear the talk." he smiled at her.

"Um, could I use your owl?" Hermione asked, changing the subject.

"I don't really have an owl. I just use the school owls. Any one can use them." he said.

"Well, where are they?" Hermione smiled. "Or do I need to find that out on my own too?"

George smirked. "Go get dressed, I'll bring you to the Owlery." He said and stood up. "I'm gonna go grab a shirt, and meet you back down here in a bit."

"Right now?"

"Yea, right now. Neither of us can sleep a nice walk could do use both some good." George smiled.

"Alright, thanks." Hermione said and disappeared upstairs.

A few minutes later, Hermione reappeared in the common room to see George sitting on the back of the couch with his back to the fireplace. He was wearing brown slacks and a red tee-shirt. His hair was still messy and he had his arms crossed over his chest and he was looking around the common room. A step creaked and he looked up and smiled when he saw that it was her.

"Ready?"

Hermione nodded and grabbed the piece of parchment. "Ready."

"We're not allowed to be out right now, but I borrowed Harry's invisibility cloak." He said holding it up.

"What's an invisibility cloak?" Hermione asked as she walked over to him.

"Well, its pretty simply said, Herms. It's a cloak that makes you invisible." He said and wrapped the cloak around them. "Honestly, I thought you were the smartest girl in your muggle school." he teased.

"There I was, but I don't know anything about this world." She said quietly as they walked out of the common room, with a hint of embarrassment in her voice.

George smiled a bit and looked down at her. "It's alright, Herms. If you want, I could show you around tomorrow."

"Can't be tomorrow, I'm going to Diagon Alley with Hagrid to get my wand and other things I need for classes on Monday."

"Well what about Saturday? We have a Hogsmead visit then and we could maybe get a bit to eat afterwards..." he said nervously.

Hermione looked up at him. He was nervously looking anywhere but at her. Trying to hold in a giggle at his embarrassed expression. Smiling, she chewed on her lip and looked back ahead of her. They were now walking out of the Entrance Hall and down the large stone steps.

"Yea. I think that would be fun." Hermione said. "What time?"

"How about I meet you after breakfast on the steps?" he said as they walked across the dark grounds towards the Owlery.

"Alright..." They were quiet for a few more minutes until Hermione couldn't hold it in any longer. "Can I ask you something, George?"

"Shoot."

"Do you...do you know why I'm so different from other muggle borns?"

She heard George sigh and she looked over at him. His eyes were darker and his usual excited facial expression had been replaced with a troubled one.

"George?"

He sighed again. "You know that there's a war coming, Hermione. You've only been here one day and you already figured it out. Which means its going to be bad. Really bad. Worse than the first one with You-Know-Who..."

They reached the bottom of the Owlery Tower and George looked up at the sky. "Our fates are already written for us, Hermione. Live here long enough and you'll understand that its nearly impossible to change them..."

George looked down at Hermione who was watching him in awe. "You're the one, Hermione..."

"What?" Hermione watched his eyes brighten up a bit.

"...that's why you're different. They said that Harry was the chosen one, but Fred and I heard Dumbldore talking with the Minister of Magic when you left last weekend. You're the changing of the tides, Hermione. You're the one who's supposed to stop Him. Not Harry..."

"Why am I the one? I thought Harry was _the boy who lived_?"

"He was. He still is, but Hermione, you're the one who's gotta defeat him..."

"Defeat You-Know-Who? There's no way I can do that, George!"

"It's not him you need to beat, Herms..." George looked at her with sad eyes.

"Then who?"

"...Harry."

***~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**

**Sorry it took me so long to update. I'm back at school now and have a shit load of homework. I hope you liked this chapter. I wrote it while i was in my Algebra II class. ^_^ Dont forget to leave a review! Thanks for reading and thanks for waiting for an update! ^_^  
**


	11. Dumbldore's Office

**CHAPTER SUMMERY- Hermione talks to Dumbldore**

**Chapter Eleven**

"Hermione, where are you going?" George called after her, as she turned and started running back towards the Entrance Hall.

"To talk to Dumbldore!" She called back.

"What?! No! Hermione you can't tell Dumbldore you know!" he said and chased after her.

Hermione ran up the front steps two at a time and pulled open the large oak door and ran across the Entrance Hall, her small footsteps echoing off the large stone and granite walls. George ran in after her. Taking the steps two at a time once more, she ran up the steps to the first floor and took a left. She didn't know where Dumbldore, but she knew someone who did. After a few more moments of running, she stopped in front of a picture of a large Griffin and bent over trying to catch her breath. A minute or so afterwards, George appeared beside her. He grabbed her shoulders and shook her a bit.

"What the hell do you think you're doing? You can't just go in and tell Dumbldore that you know! That's one of the biggest mistakes you can make." He said as he caught his breath.

"You're just scared that you and Fred are going to get in trouble for eavesdropping on him and the Minister." she said.

"I don't care if we get in trouble, Hermione. We get in trouble every bleeding day! It's you I'm worried about!"

"I can take care of myself." she said stubbornly.

"I know you can, but Herms, you've only been here what, two days? You don't know enough about our world to do stupid shit like this!"

"Exactly! I've only been here 2 days! Why am I the one who needs to take down Harry!?"

"Who in Merlin's name told you that!"

Hermione and George turned with wide eyes. Where the picture of the Griffin once was, now stood a very tired looking and very angry, Professor McGonagall. She was wearing light blue bed robes, a matching head cap and holding her wand, which had an illuminated tip that gave off a blue-white glow.

Hermione and George were about to open their mouths when McGonagall spoke again. "Come with me...now!"

Professor McGonagall hurried down the dark corridor with Hermione and George following. They had to practically run to keep pace with her, as she led them through a maze of doors, turns, paintings, statues and shadows. She finally stopped in front of a large statue of a Griffin.

"Lemon Drop." she said and the statue started spinning slowly.

She stepped onto the steps that appeared and Hermione and George did the same. The steps spun for about a minute or so, until it stopped in a small room with one window and a door. McGonagall walked towards the door and turned around.

"Stay here." she said and walked in.

George and Hermione stood in the small room in silent fear. Hermione worried her lip a bit and walked over to the small window. She placed her hands on the cold stone and starred down at the grounds below. The moon gave the grounds a blue glow and the stars swam in a sea of clouds. Hermione smiled a bit and watched the ripples in the lake swell and retreat to and from the shore. The wind blew, moving the tops of the trees. A flock of birds flew out and Hermione watched them fly away. She gasped a bit when a few bats flew past the window and she stepped back, but stopped when she felt George behind her.

"It's absolutely amazing." she whispered.

"...brilliant and beautiful..." George said.

Hermione furrowed her brow and looked up, only to have her eyes met by a pair of blue ones. George smiled down at her and brushed away a few stray hairs that had fallen, and tucked them behind her ear. She blushed a bit as he kept his hand cupping her cheek. There was a loud echoing and they pulled apart. The door swung open and Professor McGonagall appeared.

"The Headmaster will see you now." she said sternly.

Hermione walked past McGonagall. As George went to follow, she placed a boney hand on his shoulder and shook her head. "You are to go back to the Common Room, Mr. Weasley."

Hermione stepped into Dumbldore's office and closed the door quietly behind her. There was a very large window, many paintings of witches and wizards that she did not recognize, shelves full of different artifacts, an old molted hat that sat upon a wooden stool with three legs, a large desk with parchments and quills, even more shelves and tables full of books and dusty rolls of parchment and in the corner by the stairs was the most beautiful red bird she had ever seen. His wings were orange, red and yellow. His eyes were a breath taking gray and his talons were so sharp, she was sure she would lose a finger if she dared to touch them.

Hermione walked in a bit and looked around. The floors were white granite, there were pillars of dark granite reaching the ceiling and the window was draped in gold and scarlet makings. There were floating candles that didn't seem to melt and dusty books with pages that turned themselves. She placed a hand on one of the closed books and dragged her fingers across it, taking in every curve and indent of the surface. There was a creaking and Hermione jumped, raising a hand to her chest.

"I did not mean to frighten you, Ms. Granger. These stairs are just so old." he smiled.

Hermione relaxed when she saw him smile and started to explain what happened, when he raised a hand to silence her.

"I am fully aware of everything that has happened. And I'm sad to say, that the reason you are different is true."

"I don't get it. Why Harry?" she asked as she reached to pet the red bird. He snapped at her fingers playfully and bowed his head, allowing her to pet him.

"Like with all chosen wizards and witches, there is a war. With that war, comes change." he said as he watched Hermione over his half moon glasses.

"What kind of change?"

"Not a good one. People like Voldemort feed off of others and their suffering. Their pain, their emotions, their past. Harry, has a horrid past, one of which most can't even imagine. Voldemort will feed off this..."

"Voldemort, that's You-Know-Who?"

"Yes."

"Everyone is afraid to say his name. Why aren't you?"

"Fear of a name, only builds the fear of the person. That is what Voldemort wants, and I for one, will not give it to him. Neither should anyone else, but alas, they still insist on _'You-Know-Who.'_" Dumbldore said with a frown.

"What's going to happen to Harry when Voldemort feeds off his pain?"

"He will change for the worst. He will become horrid and cruel. Angry and relentless. When heros change into this, they will not let anything stand in their way of them finishing what they were born to do... even if it means killing innocent souls."

"Harry wouldn't do that."

"He has no choice. It's what happens in the Wizarding world. When a hero fights his last battle, he changes."

"Last battle? You mean I have to kill Harry?"

"What did you think Mr. Weasley meant by you having to stop Harry?"

"I...I dont know, I just didn't think I had to kill anyone!" Hermione said as tears started to form in her eyes.

"Try to find a painless way, Ms. Granger." Dumbldore said. "Go on, off to bed with you. And don't cry. His fate was sealed when he chose to come to Hogwarts. There's no way around it."

***~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**

**Sorry I haven't updated in a long while. I've been swamped with school work and haven't had time to update as much as i would like to. But thank you to everyone who stayed with me in this story drought. lol. I hope you enjoyed this chapter and i will post another as soon as i am able to. Thanks for reading and dont forget reviews! ^_^**


	12. Sneak Attacks

**CHAPTER SUMMERY-** Hermione beats up George.

**Chapter Twelve:**

"Hermione, are you alright?"

"Hmm?"

"Are you alright?" repeated Harry.

"Yea, yea I'm fine. Why do you ask?"

"Well breakfast ended a few minutes ago and you're still just sitting here." said Harry.

Hermione looked around. The Great Hall was empty. Even the Head Table was empty. Harry stood in front of her, his bag slung over his shoulder. His black hair was hanging in his face and his blue eyes were etched with worry.

"Um, just thinking..." she replied.

"Need to talk?" he asked, searching her face.

"No. I'm fine. Maybe later?" she said, standing up and shouldering her bag.

"Yea...listen I'm gonna go get ready for Hogsmead. You should probably get ready for Diagon Alley. You're going with Hagrid today, yea?"

"Oh! Right! I totally forgot about that! Talk to you later, Harry!" Hermione said as she ran out the door.

Harry watched Hermione hurry away with a curious look. Shaking his head, he walked back to the common room to get Ron.

***

Hermione sat in front of the fire that night with a book open in her lap. Hagrid had taken Hermione into Diagon Alley to get her school books, wand, quills, school robes, everything she needed for school and even a large orange cat by the name of Crookshanks. She had also gotten some extra books on defense and a vary large book she found very interesting; Hogwarts, A History.

The war was getting closer. She could feel it. And she needed to find out how to defeat Harry. As far as she could tell, he hadn't changed at all. Not in the slightest, but Dumbldore swore to her that he would. She just had to watch for it. Licking her finger and turning the page, she started reading about curses. Reading through, she didn't find anything helpful. She sighed and slammed the book closed. She had been searching books, news articles, and even legends, trying to find something that would help her kill Harry painlessly, but to no anvil. Everything she found was painful and gruesome.

Tossing the book onto the coffee table, she leaned back into the couch, rested her arms above her head and on the back of the couch, and closed her eyes. She sighed and tried to think of something...anything...that would make this easier. Nothing came.

"Do you have insomnia or something?"

Hermione didn't bother looking, but chuckled under her breath. "Probably." she said as she stretched. "Why are you up again?"

George plopped down next to her and watched her. "Heard something that sounded like a 400 pound book slam against something much lighter." he reached out and picked up the book that Hermione had set on the coffee table. "This, I believe is it." he said and glanced at Hermione.

He smiled and sat the book back on the coffee table. Resting his elbow on the back of the couch and his head in his hand, and watched Hermione. She still had her arms resting on the back of the couch above her head and her eyes were still closed. She was pale, had dark circles under her eyes, and a frown on her face.

"You alright?"

Hermione scoffed a bit. "Are you kidding me? I've been here a week and I'm already forced into killing someone who's been saving the wizarding world since he was a year old! Why wouldn't I be alright?" Hermione said as she stood up and walked over to the large bay window.

"You want to talk about it?" he asked and walked over to her.

"Not really. No offense, but I always, ALWAYS talk to the guys back home..." she said not looking at him.

"Well then go talk to them. Your hometown isn't that far away, I could fly you there."

"Fly me?"

"Go get dressed and meet me out on the Quidditch Field." George smiled and left the common room.

15 minutes later, Hermione walked onto the field and looked around. She didn't see George anywhere. Sighing, she hugged herself and sat down on one of the bleachers. The moon was shining down on the field and Hermione squinted at the ground as something passed over it. Squinting even more, she realized that it was a shadow. It was going in a circle, then it vanished. Hermione looked up quickly, hoping to see what could have made the shadow, but nothing was there. Her brow furrowed and she looked around.

"Hey..."

Hermione jammed her elbow back and spun around. Then she grabbed the voice's body and flipped him down onto the ground.

"Ow! Bloody hell, Hermione!"

"Oh my god, George!"

George lay on the ground, sprawled out on his back, his arms and legs spread out, making him look somewhat like a starfish. Hermione jumped off the bleachers and knelt down beside George. She placed a hand on his stomach and brushed some hair out of his face with the other.

"Are you alright? I so didn't know it was you! I'm so sorry!" she said.

George chuckled a bit. "It's alright. I probably shouldn't have snuck up on you..." he sat up and groaned. "Uh...damn..." he said and held a hand to his ribs.

"Let me see."

Hermione moved his hand away and he leaned back on his forearms. She lifted his shirt just enough to see his ribs and chewed on her lip. There was a large bruise already forming from where she had elbowed him and scratch marks from her nails from when she grabbed him and flipped him down. She gently reached up and traced the bruise but pulled back when he inhaled sharply.

"Sorry..." she whispered.

George took her hand and placed it back near the bruise. "It's alright. Just make sure nothing is broken..." he breathed.

Hermione nodded and traced her fingers along his ribs, trying to find something wrong, but hoping there wasn't anything. George watched her hand move along his torso and swallowed the lump that was forming in his throat. After checking his ribs, she found that she couldn't stop. She traced across his abdomen to the other right set of ribs. George sat up a bit more and kept his eyes on Hermione. He licked his lips as she pushed his shirt up a bit more and traced the scratches she had left half way up his torso. George put all his weight on one hand and took her's in his. Looking up, she caught his eyes and chewed on her lip. He watched her and leaned towards her and smiled when she did the same. It seemed like forever before he finally found her lips.

Hermione's eyes fluttered closed and she deepened the kiss. His tongue darted out, tasting her bottom lip. Opening her mouth a bit, she allowed it entrance and their tongues battled. After what seemed like forever, they pulled apart, both breathing heavily, both with swollen lips and both with a satisfied look upon their faces.

George licked his lips and cleared his throat. "We should um... we should get going..."

"What? Oh right, yea, um, we're flying?" she said nervously as she saw the broom lying on the bleachers.

"Yea, easiest and fastest way." George stood up and grunted.

"You'll be fine, so don't be a wuss." Hermione smiled.

"Hey, if it will get you to feel me up again, then I'll act like a wuss all I want." George chuckled.

Hermione shoved him playfully and he took this moment to drag it out into a long and dramatic performance. He threw himself on the ground and held his shoulder in mock pain. He squeezed his eyes closed and rolled back and forth on his back.

"Oh my arm! Ah, I think it's broken! Oh the pain, the pain!" he yelled. "Oh what in this crazy, fucked up world will ever make this better! Oh the pain! The pain! The horrid, tedious pain! Will this never end!?"

He stopped suddenly and cracked open an eye. Hermione placed her hands on her hips and lifted a brow. He shut his eye and started rocking back and forth again. "The pain!" he repeated.

Hermione sighed and rolled her eyes. Then she knelt down and he stopped moving. Then she placed a soft kiss on his lips and smiled. "Better?"

"Kinda. Still hurts a bit though. You're stronger than you look." he smiled up at her.

Hermione rolled her eyes once more then leaned down and kissed him gently. She felt him smiled against her lips, which caused herself to smile. She pulled away and brushed some hair out of his face.

"Can we go now?" she asked.

"I suppose." George jumped up and walked over to the bleachers.

Hermione followed and he showed her how to get on the broom. He kicked them up, rising 20 or so feet. She tightened her grip around his waist and buried her face in his back.

"What's wrong?"

"I hate heights!"

"Well relax. I won't let anything happen to you." he called back. He leaned forward slightly and they started towards Hermione's hometown.


	13. Emily's Big Idea

**Chapter Summery - **"When we were younger, we made a promise that we would never change. Of course look how well that turned out."

**Chapter Thirteen: Emily's Big Idea**

George and Hermione landed in the middle of a very quiet street. The street lamps gave off and aery type of glow and the wet leaves stuck to the black asphalt. They made their way towards a light blue house with deep blue shudders and a gray walkway leading to a white wrap around porch. Climbing the steps, Hermione placed her hand on the railing and stopped. She looked down and moved her hand to see small carvings into the board.

"What is it?" asked George.

"Carvings that me and the guys did. Always said that we would eventually cover the entire porch railing. Guess that isn't going to happen..."

"It might. You never know."

"Believe me George, it won't happen. With the war coming up, I doubt that Harry is going to be the only one who's not going to get out alive..."

Hermione sighed and walked up the steps. Then she turned left and walked down the porch to the side of the house. She walked towards the back of the house to a piece of white lattice the leaned against the wall. She placed her hand on it and shook it a little to make sure it was secure and looked at George.

"Wait here. I won't be long."

George nodded. Hermione got a firm grip and footing and started climbing up the lattice covered wall. Reaching the top window, she gently tapped on it.

_*tap*_

_*tap tap*_

_*tap tap tap*_

The light went on. Hermione stopped tapping and smiled when Emily opened her window. "Hermione! God, I haven't seen you in days, are you all right?"

"Yea, I'm fine. I just gotta talk to you. Can I come in?"

"Yea, sure. Come on." Emily stepped away from the window to allow Hermione to climb in. "So what's up?"

"When we were younger, we always said we would never change." Hermione started pacing.

"Right."

"But we did anyway."

"Yeah. Hermione, what is this all about?"

Hermione stopped pacing and looked at Emily. "I have this friend who is going to change. And when I say change, I mean seriously change."

Emily sat down on her bed. "What do you mean?"

"I mean that he's going to change everything he is..." Hermione started pacing. "Change who he is. Change what he believes. Change his relationships. Everything. Only he hasn't changed yet, but I know he's going to."

"Well, what did we do when we were younger? We made promises."

Hermione stopped pacing and looked at Emily. "What did you just say?"

"When we were younger, we made a promise that we would never change. Of course look how well that turned out." Emily smiled.

Hermione starred at Emily with a strange smile on her face. "Promises?"

"That's what we used to do, but Hermione..."

Hermione hugged Emily and ran to the window. Climbing out onto the lattice, she smiled at Emily. "Promises. It's so simple. Why didn't I think of that?"

"Hermione, a promise won't work. I mean, promises break."

"Yeah, that's exactly what I'm counting on." Hermione climbed down the lattice leaving Emily confused in her bedroom.

"Have a nice talk?" George asked.

"Yep. Got exactly what I was looking for."

George and Hermione moved out onto the street and climbed onto the broom. "And what would that be?"

"Promises."

"Promises?" George asked.

"Promises." Hermione repeated.


	14. Promises Part One

**Chapter Summery - Hermione and George make a plan.**

**Chapter Fourteen: Promises - Part One**

Hermione raced up the front steps and through the large wooden doors with George following closely behind. George chased after her trying to think of what she meant by promises. Then it hit him - _The Unbreakable Vow._

"Hermione...Hermione, stop!" George grabbed Hermione's arm and spun her around.

"What?"

"Are going to make Harry make an Unbreakable Vow?**"**

"Is that what it's called?" Hermione pulled her arm away as they climbed through the Common Room door. "I remember reading something about it, but I didn't pay any attention to it. But it all makes sense now. I mean, it's so simple!"

She walked over to the coffee table and kneeled down in front of it. She pulled the large book of spells, curses, and potions towards her and opened it up to the table of contents page. Running her finger down the large column, she stopped and moved her finger left to a row of numbers. Repeating to herself "1247, 1247, 1247, 1247...." she flipped through the large book, turned handfuls of pages at a time. She finally reached page 1247...

**"_The Unbreakable Vow_:**

**_The spell cannot be performed using wandless magic and requires that the Bonder's wand be touching the joined hands of the person administering the vow and the person taking the vow. As each clause of the oath being sworn is agreed to, a thin tongue of brilliant red flame will shoot from the caster's wand and winds itself around the joined hands of the participants, remaining in place as other clauses of the oath are sworn to.  
However, if this vow is broken, the person taking the vow will die a painless death soon afterwards..."_**

"This is it, George. It's painless, it's simple, it's...it's..." Hermione sighed and leaned against the cough. "It's perfect."

"Hermione, this things can be dangerous. I mean, you haven't been here a month and you're already going to try something this powerful?"

"Think about it George." Hermione turned and lay her arm on the cushion of the couch and looked up at George. "Dumbldore told me that Harry was going to change and that I would have to kill him. What better way to do it than The Unbreakable Vow to make him promise me he'll never change. I know he will, which will kill him. Just like I'm supposed to do. And it's painless."

"But Hermione..."

"It's the only way, George."

George sighed. "Alright. I'm not going to stop you, but just be sure that you're ready to do this."

"I am. But I want you to be the Bonder."

"What? No. No way." George stood up and walked to stand in front of the window.

Hermione stood up and walked over to him. She placed her hands on his arms, which he had crossed over his chest. "Please, George. I need you to be the Bonder. You're the only one I trust with this."

George looked down at Hermione. She was watching him with the most beautiful hazel eyes and he felt himself go weak in the knees. "Alright. Fine, I'll be the Bonder."


End file.
